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On December 7, a baffling operational glitch at Pakistani airports left figures from the country’s startup ecosystem stranded. Saad Shehryar was denied boarding by Emirates staff while attempting to fly to South Africa.
The airline staff claimed that South Africa had changed its visa rules for Pakistani applicants just a day prior. However, they provided no written proof of this policy change. Instead, they issued “Denied Boarding” slips and directed the passengers to contact the South African ministry.
The “Visa Rule” Confusion
Saad was not the only victim of this confusion. His boss, Shehryar Hydri, was also denied boarding at Islamabad International Airport for the exact same reason. Another passenger, Shehzad Ahmad, faced rejection despite holding a different passport.
The situation caused significant stress. The passengers received no valid explanation, only vague verbal claims. Consequently, Saad booked a last-minute ticket on Qatar Airways to test the theory. He flew through Doha and arrived in Cape Town with zero immigration issues. This successful entry proved that the “visa rule change” did not exist.
The Loophole That Exposed the Error
The most shocking evidence came from fellow passenger Shehzad Ahmad. After being denied through-check-in, he insisted that Emirates allow him to travel just to Dubai. The staff eventually agreed after he signed a liability form.
Once Shehzad reached Dubai, he requested his connecting boarding pass to Cape Town from the same booking. Surprisingly, the Dubai staff issued it immediately without question. He travelled onward to South Africa successfully. This confirms the issue was isolated to Emirates’ ground operations in Pakistan, not an actual immigration restriction.
Emirates: Unfair Financial Impact
Despite the airline’s error, the financial burden has fallen on the passengers. Saad Shehryar is now facing a $300 cancellation fee from Emirates for the original ticket they refused to honour.
He has described the situation as “unfair and unnecessary” and is currently seeking accountability from Emirates senior management. Passengers deserve clarity, not confusion, especially when they pay the price for the airline’s own operational mistakes.
